Context: Modern concepts of operative dentistry, popularly known as "Minimal intervention dentistry," propose that only the infected dentin should be removed, leaving the affected dentine that has the potential to remineralize. Mineralization of the tooth structure left in the cavity is likely to occur due to the application of fluoride- releasing material such as glass ionomer cement (GIC). Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the remineralizing potential of GIC can be enhanced with the addition of zinc acetate. Study Design: An experimental in vitro intergroup randomized control trial. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of three groups. Group I was conventional GIC, Group II was GIC with 1% zinc acetate and Group III was GIC with 2% zinc acetate. Thirty human premolars (10 in each group) extracted for therapeutic reasons were used in the first part of this study. Standardized class V cavities were prepared on the buccal and lingual surfaces. Teeth were sectioned longitudinally to get one buccal and one lingual half, in which one half was used as the control and the other half was used as the test specimen. Artificial caries- like lesions were produced and subsequently restorations of experimental specimens were performed. The depth of demineralization and remineralization were photographed under a polarized light microscope and quantified using a computerized imaging system. In the second part of the study, fluoride ions released were measured after 24 h and 7 days using an ion sensitive electrode. In the third part of the study, the setting time was calculated using Vicker's apparatus, as the time elapsed from the beginning of mixing till the time when the needle could no more make a circular indentation on the cement. In the fourth part, specimens prepared using Teflon moulds of standardized dimensions were subjected to shear bond strength analysis using a universal testing machine. Statistical Analysis: The obtained results were subjected to statistical analysis using Student's paired and unpaired 't' test, One way ANOVA, Posthoc Tukey's test. Results: In part one of the study, Group III showed the highest amount of remineralization, followed by Group II. All the groups showed statistically highly significant (P < 0.001) zones of remineralization; the difference between the groups was statistically highly significant (P < 0.001) as well. Part two of the study showed that fluoride release was highest in Group III, the difference being statistically highly significant from Group II and Group I at both the time intervals (P < 0.001). However, the amount of fluoride ions released on the 7 th day were lesser than that at 24 h in all the groups (P < 0.001). Parts three and four of the study showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to setting time and shear bond strength (P = 0.82 and 0.64, respectively). Conclusions: Incorporation of zinc acetate to glass ionomer at 2% w/w was effective in enhancing the remineralization property and fluoride release of the cement without affecting its setting time and shear bond strength.

Purpose/Objectives : India is the seventh largest country (3 million square kilometers) and the second most populous (1.2 billion people) country of the world. Dental education in India has expanded greatly, now having the highest number of dental schools in the world (nearly 300). Graduate numbers have increased rapidly from 1300 in the early 1960s to 26,000 in the early 2000s. Against this background, the aim of this study was to undertake a detailed state-by-state analysis of dental school distribution and compare it with populations to enhance our understanding of dental education in India. Materials and Methods: The complete list of all the Indian dental schools was obtained as of June 2012. The addresses were cross-checked with the official websites of each dental school geocoded using Google maps and compared with the census population data. Results: A substantial range in population to school and population to annual graduate number was found between states from a high of just over 100 graduated per million people in Chandigarh down to zero in 10 states. In five states, 75% or more of the population lived further than 40 km from a dental school while at the other extreme in Chandigarh and Delhi, no one lived more than 20 km away. Conclusion: The immediate amelioration of supply issues (access for dental care) at a national level requires effective steps to "redirect workforce" toward areas of need to reduce the disparity in workforce distribution. This will require the collaborative efforts of many areas of government.

Aim: To estimate the prevalence of paramolar tubercle (extra cusp) in primary molars of Indian children. Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted in children aged 2-8 years reporting during the period from 2006 to 2008. For recording paramolar tubercle, the definition given by Scott and Turner was employed. Subjects found with paramolar structure were further subjected to radiographic examination and impressions were made for further analysis of the paramolar tubercle. Results: Paramolar tubercle was noticed in eight patients (five boys and three girls). Among the eight patients, one patient had bilateral presence of paramolar tubercle. In seven patients, it was found on the right side and in two patients, it was found on the left side. We found type I in one case, type II in one case, type III in four cases, type IV in two cases and type V in one patient. Based on the different morphological patterns of paramolar tubercle observed during this study, we propose a new diagnostic classification system for better grading and understanding this rare dental trait, particularly for primary molars. Conclusion: As the frequency of paramolar tubercle is very rare, more studies involving different races have to be performed, rather involving individual cases, to show its unilateral/bilateral presence, sexual predominance and also to analyze the size and pattern of the paramolar tubercle.

Cone beam volumetric imaging has many advantages over simple panoramic film and digital images, including enabling accurate visualization of head and neck structures and reducing X-ray doses. It has been rapidly adopted and is becoming the "standard of care" for several applications, and is being preferred for others.

Osteomas are benign osseous neoplasms that show continuous but slow growth and are characterized by the proliferation of compact and/or cancellous bone. The exact cause is unknown, and they are usually considered to represent hamartomas or reactive lesions secondary to low-grade inflammation. They can be classified into central, peripheral or extra-skeletal types. Peripheral osteomas occur most frequently in the frontal and ethmoid sinuses, and jaw involvement is rare. They are usually asymptomatic and may be discovered during routine clinical and radiographic examination. Radiographically, peripheral osteomas appear as oval radiopaque well-circumscribed masses attached to the cortex by a broad base or a pedicle. This article describes a case of a peripheral osteoma of the right angle of the mandible in a 20-year-old male along with a literature review.

The problem of stability and retention of conventional mandibular complete dentures is far from a solution that is universally satisfactory. However, the use of overdenture therapy preserves the sensation of proprioception, preserves the edentulous ridge, maintains the border seal and provides the patient with good speaking ability and chewing efficiency. The retention and stability of such prosthesis is enhanced greatly in bar-supported overdentures. This case report depicts the step by step procedure for the fabrication of a canine splint bar for a bar and clip-retained mandibular overdenture that opposes a conventional complete maxillary denture. The bar was fabricated from readily available castable bar system and female clips were attached by an indirect technique. The mode of retention was primarily through frictional resistance. It is a relatively simple and easy technique, overcoming the limitations of the direct technique for clip attachment.

Guided bone regeneration has been used successfully for the regeneration of bone for the placement of oral implants when ridge deformities are present. The present case provides a clinical description of the use of titanium mesh along with bone graft for anterior maxillary bone reconstruction. Bone augmentation with titanium mesh and autogenous particulate bone graft is a successful technique and a predictable approach for the regeneration of bone.

Mucormycosis is a potentially life-threatening and emerging angioinvasive fungal infection with a high mortality rate. Mucormycosis is caused by the ubiquitous filamentous fungi of the Mucorales, order of the class of Zygomycetes. They commonly occur in patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, renal insufficiency, organ or stem cell transplant, malignancy, chronic use of iron-chelating agents and immunocompromised patients. Mucormycosis is being increasingly recognized in India as well, mainly in patients with uncontrolled diabetes or trauma. The infection is acquired by the inhalation of spores or by direct inoculation of the fungus into the damaged skin or mucosa. The common reported sites of mucormycosis are the sinuses, lungs and skin. The difficulty and delay in diagnosis due to its rarity usually results in a poor prognosis. To reduce the mortality and morbidity, early diagnosis and aggressive treatment are very important. We report a case of oral mucormycosis in a patient with diabetes mellitus involving the nasal cavity and maxillary and ethmoidal sinuses eroding the hard palate.

The aim of this article is to present a case of bilateral taurodontism in the primary and permanent molars associated with hypodontia and to discuss the endodontic aspects. Taurodontism in the permanent molars are most commonly affected, and it has a very low incidence and very few cases are reported in the literature in deciduous dentition. A 12-year-old boy presented with irregularly placed tooth in the upper right back region of his jaw. Orthopantamogram revealed taurodontism in seven teeth, including both primary and permanent teeth, associated with congenitally missing three premolars and permanent mandibular central incisors. Taurodontism is more frequent in non-syndromic familial tooth agenesis. Individuals in families with second premolar and molar oligodontia are more likely to have taurodontism. Because there is a wide variation in size and shape of pulp chamber with a varying degree of obliteration and canal configuration, root canal therapy becomes a challenge and, therefore, it is essential to recognize and render preventive care for these teeth.

Foreign objects in the pulp chamber or root canals of deciduous and permanent teeth have been reported in the literature. In the era of modern dentistry with advanced obturating materials available, it was interesting to accidently diagnose the root canals being obturated with stainless steel wires. Here, we report a unique case where the root canals were obturated with stainless steel wires following which the patient developed persistent pain and infection.